Paint, varnish, and finish remover.



UNITED srArns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. WILSON, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, AND HENRY A. HARRIS, 0F LONG. ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK.

PAINT, VARNISH, AND FINISH REMOVER,

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application flled September 11, 1911.

Serial No. 648,624.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, Jon: M. WILsoN and HENRY A. HARRIS, citizens of the United States, residing inMontclair, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, and Long Island City, county of Queens, and State of New York, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paint, Varnish, and which the following is a specification. This invention relates to improvements in so-called paint, varnish and finish removers of the type which contain highly volatile finish solvents, and particularly relates to the solid ingredients which are introduced into such removers for thickening and film forming purposes.

Heretofore various Waxes of a mineral or animal nature such as paraffin wax, ceresin wax and bees-Wax have been com; monly employed in conjunction with such volatile finish solvents as alcohol or acetone and benzol, as for example, the removers described in the patent to John M. Wilson #872,814, granted November 26th, 1907. These waxes are relatively soft, and also of a greasy and adhesive nature, and on the evaporation of the associated volatile solvents, which allow partial redrying of the gums, they deposit on the surface of trim, over which the remover has been spread, and which greasygum deposit prevents the drying of new paint and varnish and induces blistering of thenew coats if not thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned by a clear wax gum solvent as for example benzene and alcohol. It may be admit-ted that such mineral and animal waxes are of temporary benefit in remover, with their usefulness confined to retarding the drying of volatile solvents such as benzole, alcohol and ketones. It is also an established fact that these waxes prevent re-drying of old solved varnish and induce-gumminess, which combination becomes a menace to fresh coats of paint or varnish applied over the same surface. These gummy-waxy grease deposits accumulate in cracks,'porous wood Finish Removers, of

porary expedient, and although quite uni-- versally utilized, their employment in remover is justified only by discovered a agent.- 7

The separation and prompt precipitation of waxes of the aforesaid type in the pres ence of alcoholic or ketonic bodies limits their efliciency in another direction, viz. film-forming. By this precipitation the highly volatile cutters are allowed to escape into the atmosphere from open pots during use and from the surface treated on the application of the remover thereto. This wastefulness makes the use of remover prohibitive in many instances, particularly when subjected to the out-of-door elements.----- The deleterious odors passing off also effect the eyes and in some cases the sensorial system of the workmen, producing temporary blindness and dizziness. These fumes have been known to prostrate workmen and render them unconscious. It is fundamentally important, therefore, to the art that the unscientific crudeness and unfinished condition of these wax bearing removers be overcome, and the Wax displaced by solids which meet all practical and chemical requirements.

'To be thoroughly practical a paint and varnish remover must be entirely free from Waxes of the aforesaid type and possess an amenable solid or solids, that will instantly form a perfect non-porous film, to prevent the escape of the volatile cutters. Such new the failure to have.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

solid must also be of such a nature that if deposited on wood or metal will not inter, rupt the drying of new coats of paint or varnish, or have any chemical action thereon afterward. The sludge or resultant must lift readily and be permanently free from gumminess or stickiness.

We have cited the imperfections and faultiness common to all wax bearin removers heretofore produced, and also 1ndicated the demand that has been gradually created but so far unsatisfied, for a perfect the harmless effect of escap'in have shown the unbalanced condition of the present formulae, that while one class-of their ingredients are under proper conditions,,the other class of associate ingredients are the opposite and worse. The need of improvement is therefore manifest to overcome the prejudice against wax and to place remover on a more economical and practical basis for the consumer, to wit: (1) to effect the economy in manual labor by eliminating much of the work now found necessary due to wax deposits (2') to maintain as constant a relative proportion ofthe volatile solvents (3) by increasing cutting efficiency (4) to minimize the number of applications and reduce the present necessary gallonage of removers per superficial foot of trim (5) to minimize olsonous fumes on workmen (6) to abolis t e scrubbing'ofsurfaces following the use of remover, which'irrita't-ion raises the grain of the wood, often discoloring it and making sanding a perfunctory and an added expense, (7) and to insure against the possibility of complete failure of the new coats of varnish or paint because of tackiness due to non-drying. The delinquencies of previously known wax-bearing removers are indisputably serious and energetically call for a change in the construction of removers to avoid the present difliculties experienced in the use of them which often make the cure worse than the disease.

Our invention relates to the discovery that a vegetable substancewh-ich exudes from or is secreted by the Mexican candelilla plant,

. possesses several very important advantages over the usual waxes employed in finish removers, and avoids all of the objections above described, which are possessed by paraflin wax, ceresin wax, bees-wax and the like. This substance, hereinafter termed candelilla solids possesses a specific gravity of approximately .97, a melting point of about 165 F., and acidity of 15%. Said candelilla extracts or candelilla I solids show a non-saponifiable matter of 77% and contain about 50% of hydrocarbons, and iodin value about 17%. It is soluble in turpentine more readily than is carnauba wax, and the water contentis only about 3% to 5%, whereas as is well known. carnauba wax posessses a water content of approximately 10%. shrinkage value on melting than carnauba wax, but when melted is more viscous than said carnauba wax. Its color varies from light greenish-yellow to almost chocolate brown, and it can be readily bleached. It is about the same hardness as carnauba wax, but is harder and much more brittle than bees-wax. In fact it can be readily shattered by a blow from a hammer. It is also highly efiicient if used It has also a lower "itself, and the said varnish will same is not only rendered extremely easy of application, either by means of a brush, but also by means of the pneumatic method of application described in said patent to John M. Wilson, of November 26th, 1907, and it will also stand on vertical and' over-head surfaces without running off therefrom. It is also extremely rapid in action, being equally eflicient upon either paint or varnish, and is correspondingly slow Moreover, all stickiness or gumminess of the residue or solidobtaincd from the action of these removers upon coats of paint and varnisn is absent. This extract of the candelilla plant possesses to a remarkable degree all the physical and chemical nongreasy substance desired in remover as a thickener coupled with the elements essential tol a perfect film former, and that it cleans easily and carries in its wake no bad after effects to endanger the stability of the new coats of paint or varnish following the use of remover containin it.

Candelilla extract or candelilla solids is shown to differ from the aforesaid animal or mineral waxes in that it is not perceptibly greasy either to the touch or in appearance, by which we mean that varnish or paint can be a plied in the usual manner to the pure solidified extract and that both will dry and harden in the same time as when spread over wood, an experience totally impossible with wax. The natural acidity of the candelilla solids also appears to augment the cutting action of the removers on paint and other finish. These candelilla solids are particularly desirable in remover carrying phenol as a solvent, and assistant film roducer and paint solvent on which candeli la extractserves to neutra ize and minimize the mendacious action of the phenol on the skin even if phenol is used in large proportions. Another characteristic property of the candelilla solid is that it seems to be inert toward fresh coats of varnish directly applied tdthecandelilla solids dry and harden in the usual manner without being apparently affected thereby.

In order to produce a commercial paint and varnish. and finish remover, embodying our invention, we proceed as follows :+6 oz. of candelilla solids which as above stated, is now commercially sold as candelilla wax,

in drying.

acetone, to

is first heated until melted- Into this mix-1 ture is added approximately 45 01.01. benzol.v A second mixture is prepared by dissolving 4 oz. of collodion, containing approximately cellulose and 92%%- of volatile solvents (such as alcohol and ether or alcohol and amyl acetate) in 45 oz. of

which-is added.12 oz. of crystalline phenol or carbolic acid. When the said phenol is thoroughly dissolved in the. ace

tone and collodion mixture, this second mixture is added to the first mixture, preferably after cooling said first mixture below 100? F. The saldfinish'remover may. also be prepared by employing substantially the same proportions: of in edients as abovestated but by first meltmg solids then boiling the same with phenol, and when somewhat cool adding the collodion. To this amorphous mass is then added amixture, consisting of alcoholic or ketonic solventand benzol. A remarkably; obtained by employing the candelilla solids aforesaid well known,:;

and totally unexpected result is with phenohwhich latter, as is normally possesses quite an energetic action upon the human cuticle. While ordinarily if more than a small amount (viz: not over 5%) of phenol is used in finish removers, such as those containing the waxes previously stated, the action of the. phenol upon' the cuticle of the operator tive and irritating and therefore often objectionable. We have discovered, that when associated with these candelilla solids the action of the phenol toward the human cuticle is remarkably neutralized if not wholly prevented, and in fact rendered almost inert even when as high as 32 oz. of carbolic acid crystals are employed in a total of 112 oz. of finish remover, and said mixture when applied to the cuticle on the inside of the wrist for a riod of approximately five minutes, pro uces no serious or even a scarcely objectionable eifect, not even to the extent of blistering the cuticle.

When employing large amounts, a. 'e. 10%,- of phenol, which above formulae, to the cuticle on the insideof thewrist in the manner" above stated without even noticeable effects, and at the same'time allthe active and valuable properties of the 'phei- 1101 for paint and varnish removers are retained,-and a parently "unaffected by said candelilla so ids. I J I p, Particular attention is drawn to the great advantages of phenol in remover: 1) It is indisputably one of the most powerful. and active finish solvents known. (2) It is also eflicient on varnish and disintegrates eras-3 -composes thtlfipms and renders them non.-

elastic or un esive, 1n which respect it is of great value. (3); If used in substantial proportions it materially reduces inflammanature it is -t-ion, and allows of harmless to the skin, the 'c'andelil the candelillais extremely acis the proportion in the ability and the consequent fire risk. (4) Owing to its non-volatile and deliquescent a most valuable assistant for film-forming purposes and substantially ro longs the wetness of the resultant slu ge. We have discovered that cande'lilla extract neutralizes in a great measure these objectionable features of phenol for remover purposes, prevents crystallization and separaits use inthe. lar e proportions set fort-h,-without an objectionable odor being readil perceptib eandwithal, while the pheno is made com aratively a. extract does not appreciably reduce its efliciency otherwise. The emloyment of candelilla will, therefore, ma e the heretofore socalled carbolic acid removers, the most comprehensive of all removers in, their scope of usefulness, and relieve them of'all practical orvcommercial objections They will supplant the use of the dangerous fire torch for removing paint'and permit'of the applica-" tion of method as distinguished from hand brush ing which is very detrimental and wasteful remover by the said pneumatic to remover because of the surface agitation the brush and the consequent breaking of and liberation of the; volatile solvents. This extravagant feature lose formulae, which instantlyforms a heavy islargely 'over come by the candelilla-phenol nitro-celluglassy film, reducing the evaporation thereof from open. pots or during application to surfaces. Another important development found in this 10o mixture 18 the smooth" colloidal or non-granular condition in which it exists. The e f ns ionsj f cande lilla extract in combination with phenol and nitro-cellulose as described, are considered discoveries and, invention of great im ortance to removers and mark'a new era 0 increased usefulnessand'economy for them to the consumer not heretofore enjoyed.

In the claims the expression volatile finish solvents includes the various alcohols, such as grain alcohol, wood alcohol.

this purpose, owing to their having equivalent properties; also the various ketones, including acetone, and also various hydrocarbons, including benzohtoluol, and the like, and other solvents having similar properties. The expression film-forming colloid includes candelilla solids and also other fwaxy or solidsubstances havin on not otherwise associated with limitations as to its properties, nitrated and the like, and other well known alcohols, which may be suitable for.

the .papxperties claimed for: candelilla so ids.

cellulosesuch as gun-cotton, as well as cer-.

.tain other similar colloids which may be. considered e uivalent thereto, and also in cluded in sai expression.

As an equivalent to candelilla solids herein described, we intend to include within the spirit of this invention, similar bodies having the properties corresponding to those set. forth in the claims,

ployed.

Having thus described our invention,

what we claim and desire to secure by -Lets ters Patent is z? 1 '1. A finish remover comprising a col-1 volatile fin-':-

loidal stifiening material and ish. solvents including a solvent and a -pre-* cipitant of said material," the said colloidal stiiiening material being in its natural isolated condition of alrelatively brittle nature, not perceptibly greasy either to the touch or in appearance. and substantially inert toward a coat-of varnish when directly applied thereto and bein capable of I forming a non-crystalline mil --like emulsion when precipitated from its solution in ben'zol by, acetone, which emulsion is substantially permanent and showsno substantial settling tendency after long periods of time have elapsed when so precipitated.

2; A finish remover comprising a colloidal stifienin'g material and volatile fin ish solvents including a solvent and a prev ci'pitantof saidmaterial, the said COllOldal stiifening material being in its natural iso lated condition of a relatively brittle nature, not perceptibly greasy eitherto the touch or in appearance and substantially inert toward a coat of varnish when directly applied thereto, being capable of *wheninxsolution in acetone and and which bodies are suitable for use in removers in the man ner m which the candel1lla solids are em tantgof said material, the said colloi noeopae stiilfening material having substantially the samereaction with said finish solvents as candelilla wax' and being in its natural iso lated condition of a relatively brittle nature, not perceptibly greasy either to the touch or in'nppearance and substantially inertv toward a coat of varnish when directly applied thereto and being capable of forming a; non-crystalline milk-like emulsion when precipitated from its solution in benzol'by acetone, which emulsion is substantiall permanent and shows no substantial settlingtendency afterlong periods of time have elapsed-when so precipltated.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at thecity; county and State of New'York, this 9th day of September, 1911.

JOHN M. WILSON.

-- 1 HENRY A. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE J. WYCKOFF, W. H. SWENARTON. 

